Curated OER
Rising Water!
Students observe water change from a liquid to a gas state when heated and then return to its liquid stage when cooled. They learn that gas molecules move faster than liquid molecules. They discover physical properties that describe how...
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Air Takes Space
Students examine how air takes space. They come up, push a deflated balloon into one of the bottles and stretch the open end of the balloon over the bottles mouth
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Air Takes Space
Learners discover that air takes up space by watching the teacher demonstrate a simple activity using a glass jar, styrofoam packing peanut, and a clear bowl of water.
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Air Takes Space
Students discover that air takes up space by watching the teacher demonstrate a simple activity using a glass, a piece of paper towel, and a sink full of water. They discuss their findings.
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Gravity - The Glue of the Universe
Students explore physics by conducting a class experiment. In this gravitational force instructional activity, students define several scientific terms associated with force. Students utilize a styrofoam cup and marbles to simulate a...
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Does the Distance Between the Earth and Sun Cause the seasons?
Students reflect upon the concepts of seasons. The concepts are taught using a variety of different teaching approaches. A activities lead to a reflection that will help students to make a cognitive transfer of information form...
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THE WONDERFUL WATER CYCLE
Learners are introduced to the processes of evaporation and condensation as they observe physical changes in water. They observe how matter changes from a solid to a liquid state. Students are explained that steam is water in its gaseous...
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The Life Cycle of a Star
Students investigate the life cycle of a star and make conclusions based on evidence, research, and observation. In this lesson on space and scientific investigation, students describe the relationships between science and technology...
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Walk, Run, Jump!
Students participate in a series of timed relay races using their skeletal muscles. They compare the movement of skeletal muscle and relate how engineers help astronauts exercise skeletal muscles in space. They list the three types of...
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Ups and Downs of Diving
Learners explore the science and sport of scuba diving. In this scuba diving lesson, students build Cartesian divers and observe their behavior under water pressure.
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There's Air in There!
Students attempt to blow a wad of paper into a soda bottle. In this physics lesson, students discover that air pressure inside of a soda bottle prevents new air from going in.
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Flight Dreams - Flight Factors
Young scholars investigate the physics of flight by experimenting in class. In this history of flight lesson, students define terms such as gravity, lift, and drag in order to better understand how a plane is able to stay in the air....
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Woodwind Instruments and Pitch
Students explore musical pitch. In this cross curriculum musical instruments and "sound" physics instructional activity, students identify and describe common traits of woodwind instruments. Students research "pitch" and what causes...
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Rocks and Minerals
Students are able to describe earth processes (e.g., rusting, weathering, erosion) that have affected selected physical features in students, neighborhoods. They are able to identify various earth structures (e.g., mountains, faults,...
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The Three States of Matter
Students explore the three states of matter. In this physics lesson, students are shown examples of solids, liquids, and gases. Students make cookies and identify the three states of matter during the baking process.
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Ice Floats
Young scholars explore the changing density of water. In this physics instructional activity, students investigate how an object's density determines whether it will float or sink in water. They explain why this unique property of is...
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Get Dramatic: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Students explain reducing, recycling and reusing. In this science/ arts lesson, students create a commercial and display a backdrop made out of recycled goods. Additionally, students write written responses to writing prompts.
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What is Magnetism?
Students investigate magnetism. For this physics lesson, students create a KWL chart about magnetism and research various suggested websites to find out more about magnetism. Students log on to the "BrainPOP" website and view a short...
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Air Pressure
Students perform experiments that demonstrate the characteristics of air pressure. In this physics lesson, students participate and observe experiments using simple household items. The results of these experiments are used to help the...
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The Science of Swinging
Students learn how a pendulum works in the concept of an amusement park ride. In this pendulum lesson, students are introduced to Newton's first law of motion and how it works in an amusement park ride. Continuous motion and inertia are...
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Space, the Final Frontier...
Students study a common theory on how the solar system was formed and examine the relative scale of the size and distances among the bodies of the Solar System.
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Cooking with the Sun
Students explore using energy from the sun for heating and cooking as they build and compare the performance of four solar cooker designs. This excellent two-day lesson has groups of students build and test a variety of solar cookers....
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What is an Atom?
Third graders understand that the smallest particle is an atom. In this matter lesson, 3rd graders make a piece of aluminum smaller and smaller to see that what's left is still aluminum. Students recognize that cutting into smaller...
Space Awareness
The Big Meltdown
Explore the world (our world) of melting ice caps. Why are these caps melting? What is the effect of melting ice caps? Dive into the ever-present issue of global warming with a resource that has learners looking at data and participating...